Bounty on West Kootenay northern pike

$10 a head reward for northern pike caught in Columbia, Kootenay and Pend d' Oreille Rivers.

There is a bounty out on northern pike and anglers can get $10 cash for each head they turn in.

Northern pike are an invasive species first seen in the Columbia River in 2010. They are a significant threat to local fisheries. Pike prey on native species, introduce disease and compete with other species for food.

To qualify for the reward, the fish must be caught in the Columbia, Kootenay or Pend d’Oreille Rivers, including the Arrow, Brilliant, Seven Mile and Waneta Reservoirs or in the Kettle River, Christina Lake, or any tributaries to the above.

You can drop your pike heads off at:

Johnny’s Grocery and Gas, Castlegar

Golder Associates, Castlegar

Regional District Kootenay Boundary Office, Trail

Christina Lake Stewardship Society, Christina Lake

The program is operated by the Okanagan Nation Alliance and the Central Kootenay Invasive Species Society.

Complete rules can be found at ckiss.ca.

Castlegar News